


Forever With You.

by Partywithbooks



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comic), Sonic the Hedgehog - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-21
Packaged: 2018-04-21 01:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4809656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Partywithbooks/pseuds/Partywithbooks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Amy Rose's life take a giant turn when one day she gets a blast from her past, which will forever change her future.</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. Sonic AU 1 - Ghosts of our Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amy Rose's life take a giant turn when one day she gets a blast from her past, which will forever change her future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh, ok I am so nervous about posting this! I hope you people will like it! A big thank you to  
> sonamy5426 (Tumblr) for pre-reading this for me, as well as for the very helpful pointers. :)

Amy inhaled deeply as she lay lounging on the soft grass with her friends, enjoying their first day off in what felt like forever. It seemed like there was a new Bot of Eggmans to battle everyday. Didn't the guy need a break every now and then? So when none of the Freedom Fighters had received an alert for attacks all morning they dared to take the day off and try to unwind with a picnic. No Eggman attacks, no surprise battles, no mission that needed their attention, just a nice, peaceful, “normal” day. Well as normal as ones life can get these days.

“I hate to interrupt your relaxation…”

Antoine gave a small yipe of surprise as Amy opened her eyes to see their friend Nicole the Holo-Lynx materialize before them. “…But I have just received a message from Geoffrey St John. It sounds urgent.” 

Well, so much for relaxing.

“Ah, no worries Nicole! Let’s see what two face wants.” Sonic stood up to stretch his stiff body, a playful smile on his handsome face.  
Amy felt her heart begin fluttering, just like it always did when Sonic had that impish grin on his face.

Nicole extended her hand and began the message. “Nicole this is Geoffrey. Something has been brought to my attention, and I’m gonna need you to tell Amy to meet Hershey and I at the edge of the Mobius woods. No time to waste. Geoffrey out.”

“That shor is ah strange sorta message to leave” Bunnie commented as she brushed herself off from the ground. Antoine reached over to help get rid of some bits of grass that clung to his wife's back. 

“Yeah, I wonder what he needs you for Amy?” Tails gave a side way glance to her, as did everyone else.

“I have no idea. Maybe they need some help with…a mission?” Amy told them as Sonic helped her stand, her body aching from laying in the same position for so long.  She just as clueless as the rest of them. What could the St Johns possibly need HER for?

 

      

* * *

 

 

As Bunnie, Antoine, Sonic and her approached the Great Forest, Amy spotted Geoffrey’s shadowy outline as he emerged from the thicket.

“I specifically ask for you to come so of course your mates decide to tag along. Why am I not surprised?” Geoffrey sighed, pinching the spot in between his eyes as if he had a headache, obviously exasperated as Hershey came to join him at his side.

“Hey man you never said anything about us NOT coming so no harm, no foul.”  Sonic told him as he casually strode up with the rest of the gang. Geoffrey was about to make a biting retort at him when Hershey gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Nows not the time dear, remember our mission.” The black and white animal visibly relaxed under his wife’s tender touch, a tired sigh escaped from him.

“You're right Luv, as usual". Geoffrey took her hand still on his shoulder and, bending slightly at the waist, kissed it gently, earning a tiny blush from the cat as they smiled lovingly at each other.

Amy couldn't help but sigh wistfully at the gesture _._ If only a certain blue hedgehog would behave like that towards her _._

After thinking Hershey had been killed while deep undercover several months earlier, Geoffrey hadn’t ceased in showing his affection for his wife. Whether it was a small peck before they parted or a kiss on the hand, the couple was clearly making up for lost time.

“So what’s so important that you felt the need to drag us away from our busy day of doing nothing?” Sonic asked, ruining the sweet moment between husband and wife.

“Sugar-hog that goes for you too.” Bunnie told him with a pointed look. Sonic made the gesture of zipping his lips closed with his hands, even throwing away the key for good mesure. Geoffrey straightened once again but kept his hand interlaced with his wife’s.

“As you may recall Hershey and I were out on a special assignment this previous month, scouting what remained of Eggman’s abandoned bases and searching for anything that might still be considered dangerous. Well…“  
The two shared a glance between each other before continuing.

“We found something there. Some _one_. He had been kept in a incubator-like machine, similar to the one Her Highness had been placed in. It kept him stasis, for several years judging by the last log information. They must have left him when Eggman was forced to relocate his base.”

“So then what exactly does this have to do with me?” Amy still couldn’t quite figure out why she was needed. This sounded more like something for Tails, it was his area of expertise after all. Eggman's machines and electronics, sounded right up his ally. 

“He claims to be an acquaintance of yours.” Geoffrey stated plainly as Hershey motioned for someone to step out if the forest.

The mysterious figure emerged slowly from the woods. He was tall, only a few years older then herself Amy guessed, with a nice masculine build. He was dressed in a slight renaissance style; with a white long-sleeved shirt rolled up to his elbows, a turquoise vest that was obviously made for travel, brown leather-worn boots, and a short sword strapped to his side. His brown hair was slightly tousled, a few strands falling into his face every now and then, but really that only added in favor to his good looks. Amy’s gaze traveled to the rest of his face; very handsome, a charismatic smile was on his lips, and his eyes…

Amy let out a small gasp.  His eyes were unique; at first glance they appeared a beautiful ice blue, but as she continued to study them the colors seemed to change, from blue to gray to even turquoise and back. She once knew someone with those exact eyes. Not to mention that same… mischievous smile….

_No way…it_ couldn't _be…_ _but he’s…_

Amy suddenly felt very light headed.

“Hey Ames, long time no see I guess?” the stranger said with that same half grin on his face as he joined the small party.

“Do you know him Amy?” Geoffrey questioned. Everyone looked expectingly at her as well, but Amy felt her gaze become tunnel visioned. The rest of the world began to fall away, until it was only the two of them. He looked just like…him.

_H_ _ow could this be?? No it couldn't, that simple. It just couldn't!_

“S-sorry. But I think you have me confused with someone else.” She turned her back and began to quickly walk away.

_Don't even think about it, you know it's not him, you know it_.’ Amy told herself silently as she headed in the opposite direction. She was not going down that road. No matter how much he looked like him, or sounded like him.

“Come on, I don’t really look that different do I? It’s _me_ Amy. It’s Eugene!” Amy stopped dead in her tracks. She hadn’t heard that name in years. Not since she was a little girl, before…. Raising her walls up like a shield, Amy turned sharply on her heel and marched back to “Eugene”.

“No. You are NOT! Because Eugene is dead!! Dead! He died trying to protect me, so there is no _possible_ way that _you_  could be him!” Amy felt tears threatening to overwhelm her. Not good, she needed to calm herself quickly before she lost it. Forcing herself to take deep breaths, Amy tried to think. There had to be a logical explanation for all this.

“Last time I checked I’m still very much alive, only….older.” Eugene's voice broke into her thoughts. He was staring at his hands with a slight shake of his head. “St John explained to me some of what I’ve missed on the way here, and it’s still really confusing, but honestly Flower I-”

_WHAM!_

Amy slammed Eugene back against the tree they had all been standing by, gripping him tightly by both his vest and shirt. His back immediately flared up in pain. He did _not_  remember her being this strong before.

“Don’t. You. DARE call me that.” Amy’s eyes were two fiery Jades as she stuck her arm out and her piko piko hammer appeared in her open hand, her gaze piercing into him.

“Whoa whoa whoa! When did you learn how to do that?? And how come you never told me??” Eugene was starring at her hand, now gripping the hammer, wide-eyed with a mixture of shock and impressed curiosity.

She could hear the blood pounding in her ears, her mind racing almost as fast as Sonic. There was no possible way that he could have survived. And yet…something in her heart lifted, ever so slightly. Like a weight that had been there for so long she forgot it existed was starting to ease off her chest. She needed more.

“Fine. Then prove to me your really Eugene. And so help me if your not I promise you will feel the wrath of my hammer!”

~

“Wow, no pressure.” Amy released  her iron grip so he could lean against the tree more comfortably. Eugene crossed him arms as he tried to think, searching through his mind frantically for something that would help his case. Which is pretty hard considering the fact that he’d been unconscious for a good 7 to 9 years, according to St John and Hershey. Everything was still kind of fuzzy. How was he supposed to convince his best friend that it was really him?

“Ummm….well you love hot chocolate with cinnamon. I taught you that after my family had visited with a neighboring kingdom.”

“Big deal, anyone who knows me knows that's my favorite. Heck even Uncle Chuck knows that.” referring to Sonic's Uncle her and her friends had grown up knowing in Knothole. Amy was gonna need WAY more then what her favorite hot drink was to convince her.

“Okay then….Oh! You have a small mark on the back of your neck. It looks a bit like an arrow in my opinion.”

“Better, but anyone could have seen that. And my friends already know that so it's nothing big.”

“We do?

…OW! Bunnie!” Sonic rubbed the now sore side of his ribs where Bunnie D'Colette had jabbed her robotic arm into to him keep quiet.

“Hush up, this is getting interesting.” She told him as they listened to the conversation between Amy and Eugene. Sonic rolled his eyes but obeyed, he was also curious to see if this stranger was who he claimed to be. How did this guy know all these things about her? Sonic had never seen a mark on her neck before and she’d never told him about it, none that he remembered anyway. And then here this guy comes in, knowing  all sorts of stuff about Amy like some walking/talking Encyclopedia. 

Eugene continued to dig through his childhood memories, trying to remember every possible thing he knew about Amy.                                   

“When we were little you used to teach me how to track and move stealthy in the forest like cousin Rob taught you,“ Eugene chucked fondly at the memory. “Those had to be the best games of hide-and-seek ever played. I won most of them.”

Amy gave an unexpected laugh. “Ha! That’s not how I remember it.” Then her face became neutral again. “But that’s still not enough. Tell me something only my Eugene could know.”

Eugene ran his fingers through his hair, he was running out of things to say. What was something that only _he_  knew about Amy? He thought of saying just how stubborn and fiercely tempered he knew she could be, but then again she still had her wicked-looking hammer out and thought better of it. Eugene glanced down at the part of his shirt he had subconsciously been fiddling with. This gave him an idea.  Eugene reached up and pulled a thin chain from around his neck that had been tucked under his shirt, out of view.

“Do you recognize this?” He asked, lifting it up. Amy’s breath caught in her throat. On the chain an odd sort of charm was dangling, it’s shape hard to make out. It looked like two wavy-curved pedals. They seemed to be attached to a jewel where the rounded ends met. To anyone it wouldn’t seem very significant, but for Amy it held countless times of their childhood together. All the memories she had kept buried for so long now suddenly came flying back to meet her.

“One day, before I left Mercia for home I asked you to meet me at our hide out in the woods, the small cove that only we knew about. I remember the day we found it,” Eugene again chuckled lightly, reminiscing it for a moment. “You made me pinky promise not to tell a soul about it, and I made sure you promised the same.”

Amy stood motionless as Eugene continued to talk, she remembered that day so well. She would always be so sad when he had to leave once summer was over. They wouldn’t see each other again until winter, when her and her family would stay at Castle Auburn, which Eugene's family ruled in Merlinia. It was their Seasonal exchange the two royal families had be doing since before she could remember.

Before Eggman that is.

“When you arrived I told you of a woman I’d met in the town square who was selling small trinkets. She showed me a two-halves necklace that I thought would be perfect for you, and having said that ‘it was made so carefully, so precise that no fake or replica could ever fit in its place’. I gave you one half and kept the other.”

Amy dropped her hammer she hadn’t realized she was still holding, and raised a shaking hand to the neckline of her outfit. From beneath her red dress she revealed the other half of the necklace around her, her fingers gripping it tightly.

“An-And can you tell me what you said…when you gave me it?” Amy whispered, her voice quivering as she tried to hold back the tears she felt well up again, hope rising in her chest with every word.  
Eugene's gaze stayed locked on his childhood friend, his playful swag gone for the moment.

“Yes…” He replied softly. Eugene walked slowly towards her until they were mere inches apart, his eyes looking down into hers gently. He held up his piece of the necklace.

“Now, no matter where I go, or how long we’re apart, a part of me will always be with you.”

Amy placed her hand gently on Eugene’s chest while raising her other half to meet his.

“And I with you.” She finished, the tears glistening in her eyes finally beginning to fall.                            

The two half’s fit together perfectly, the now complete necklace dangling in open space between them. It was the shape of a flower, it’s pedals bending as if a soft wind was blowing on them. When he had first given her it Amy had laughed that it wasn’t even a Rose, like her name, but Eugene just smiled and winked as he helped fasten it around her neck.

All this flashed before Amy as she stared up at him, seeing this person in a whole new light then she had moments before, noting  every detail. He was taller then her by nearly half a head now, it figures he’d end up with his fathers height. But what really caught her attention was the faded scar right above his lip, which he had gotten when he snuck up behind her unknowingly and she'd blindly hit him with the only weapon she had on hand, thinking she was being attacked. That weapon happened to be a rock and had left him with a cut that eventually healed over into a permanent scar. 

“I…it really is you!”

Eugene noticed the tears streaking down Amy's face. “Hey now no tears, remember Petal?” He told her kindly as he wiped them away gently, pushing any stray quills out of her face as well. At the mention of his other nickname for her, the pink hedgehog couldn’t contain herself any longer. There was so many emotions swirling up in her she felt that she might explode. Amy threw her arms around Eugene’s neck and pulled him into a tight hug. He surprised her by lifting her completely off the ground and twirling her around in his embrace, his laughter ringing in her ears.

“Oh my stars this is better then a day-time soap opera!”

Amy had completely forgotten her friends were still there. Eugene must have noticed them too, and gently placed her back on her feet.

“Oh sorry! Everyone, as you've probably already guessed, this is my childhood friend Eugene Rider of Merlinia. Eugene, these are a few of my friends” and Amy quickly went through introductions.  
Once that was out of the way she turned back to Eugene.

“And for the record you barely won any of those Hide-and-Seek games!” Amy teased with him jokingly.

“Are you kidding? I was great at hiding!”

“Actually I'd find you within the first 5 minutes of playing, I just didn’t have the heart to tag you right away.”  
Amy burst out laughing at the shocked look on Eugene’s face.

“Wow….so this whole time…a lie.” Amy laughed even harder at this. Eugene began poking at her sides then, feigning wounded anger. 

“This isn’t funny, Flower! You decided to tell me _now_  I sucked at the only game I thought I was good at?” the grin on his face though gave away he was taking more pleasure in hearing her yelps of laughter then the conversation itself. Amy swat at his hands trying to get away, breathless from laughter.  

“Stop stop! Ok you win, you win!” Amy wiped the tears from her eyes, her ribs aching from a mix between laughing so hard and Eugenes tickling. Glancing back at him she shook her head in wonder.  

“This all feels so surreal. You're really here! I mean really, actually here!” Amy gave her friend another tight hug, which he happily returned with equal strength. 

"Amy sugar, i bet the St Johns and Eugene are tuckered out after their long journey home." Bunnie told her with a meaningful look. Oops, she hadn't even thought of that. _Some friend she was._  

"Oh wow you're right! You guys must be famished!" 

"Well we wouldn't say no to an early dinner" Geoffrey spoke for himself and his wife. They really did look exhausted, their shoulders hunched over and eyes heavy with fatigue as the sun sunk further in the sky. 

"Then in that case chili dogs at Uncle Chuck's, my treat!" Amy stated, taking Eugene by the hand and leading the group back towards Knothole. "You haven't lived till you've tried Chuck's chili dogs.”

"At this point if it's food I'll take it.” The two continued to chat as they walked in front, the others giving them some distance to talk together. 

“What's the matter Blue? Your not getting jealous are you?” Geoffrey implied as the two married couples and speedster watched Amy and Eugene up ahead, their heads bowed together in conversation.

“Don't even start with me St John.” Sonic warned. “I don't do jealous, especially not with Amy.” So then why did it feel like a funny knot was starting to form in his stomach? Sonic pushed the feeling down, probably because he was getting hungry also.

Geoffrey however was not so easily fooled. “Excuse me if your body language is saying very different.” It was true. His posture was stiff as they walked on. Sonic had had his arms crossed through the entire ordeal and was starring ahead at the pair with squinting eyes. 

“As if. I'm just leery of the guy. I'll meet you all at Uncle Chuck's.” And with that the blue hedgehog dashed away, dust kicking up where he'd just been.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is my first time writing an AU of any kind for me. This story has been stuck in my head for so long and I finally decided to write it out.  
> I made a few references to the Sonic Comics in this. More will follow to be sure. If you'd like to know which Issue # just send me a message!
> 
> Yes Eugene's character is based on Flynn Rider from Tangled. (did his name give it away? ;P) His personality just seemed perfect for my character! 
> 
> Thank you everyone who reads this and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing! Next chapter will follow eventually.


	2. Sonic AU 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shocking secret is learned about Amy, and a new threat is beginning to come into view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, chapter 2!  
> Thanks to everyone with their kind responses to my first one! I hope you enjoy this next part.

“...So because you used the Ring of Acorns to make yourself older, you can summon that hammer at any time now?” Eugene questioned, trying to wrap his mind around all this new information. 

“In a really small nutshell yeah” Amy nodded, chucking lightly at the look of awe on his face. 

 It had been two weeks since their ‘reunion’ at the Great Forest, and those had quickly turned into the greatest days of Amy's life. There had been so much stuff the two friends needed to catch up on. Amy told him of the adventures she and her friends had gone on since arriving in Knotthole; The Iron Queens terror reign, Chaos' attack on the city, being summoned to Blaze's world to help find the last Sol Emerald, the list really went on. And Eugene sat there listening to her every word. Today they were all chatting together at Freedom HQ, answering any questions he still had. 

“And she became ah force to be reckoned with ev'a since.” Bunnie commented from her spot on the couch opposite of Amy and Eugene. She was sitting cozily with her back up against Antoine, his arm draped around her shoulders as the two joined in on the conversation every now and then.

"Yeah, wait till you hear about when she went up against the Iron King!" Tails added while he continued tinkering with a gadget by his work table. 

"Oh please, I just held him off. It was Ken Khan who finished him." Amy gave credit to their friend who ruled the Dragon Kingdom.

Sonic, who was chilling in a chair by the rest of gang, legs dangling off the arm rest, gutair proped on his lap while he plucked at the strings lazily, knew that Amy was being far to modest with her own talents. 

 "Give yourself some credit Ames. Not just anyone could have held off Ugly as easily as you did." Amy ducked her head shyly at her hero's praise of her skills. 

 Eugene was fascinated by just how drastically his friend had changed over the years he'd been out, more and more so with each story that was told. He was still trying to get used to this new version of Amy Rose. He remembered her as the sweet little girl he used to play in the creek with, and how they'd always turn into a water war sooner or later. And now here she was, a young woman with a fiery glint in her eyes and plenty of skill to match it with. Seeing her now, Eugene wondered if she realized how much of her parents she had become. 

Amy was about to reply to something Tails had said when she noticed Eugene staring at her, a thoughtful expression etched on his face.

“What? What is it? You've got that look on your face.” 

Eugene snapped out of his train of thought. “What look?”

 _“That_  look. You seemed deep in thought.” 

“Oh.” Eugene chuckled, running his fingers through his hair. “Nothing. I was just thinking, it kind of struck me…you look so much like your Mother now.” He didn't want to bring the subject up, in case it still hurt for her to talk about them. Something's took longer to heal then others. Their parting hadn't been an easy one. But she honestly did. Although her fur was pink, like her father's, she looked strikingly a lot like her mom. Especially with those Jade eyes hers.

That wasn't to say she hadn't inherited any other traits from her father besides her color. She had gotten a nice helping of his sass as well.  

Luckily though, a glace at her face showed Amy was smiling. 

“I always wondered if I did. It's been so long...” Amy began fiddling with her necklace subconsciously as she thought of her parents.

She, along with countless other children at the time, had lost someone they loved when Eggman had expanded his invasion to the outer parts of the land. Badniks had been sent to Mercia for takeover, starting with subjugating the Royal families to the Robotinizer. Her parents had been one of many people to fall that day. If it hadn't been for Cousin Rob, she shuttered to think she would have met the same fate.

And she still missed them terribly. It had been hard growing up without any parents. Amy never had someone to go to when she was feeling really down. Sure there was Rosie or Bunnie, but it wasn't quite the same thing as laying your head in your mother's lap while she stroked your quills, telling you everything was gonna be okay, making her special soup to try and cheer you up.  

“I have been wondering something Amy...” at the mention of her name Amy was pulled out of her thoughts to focus on Antoine's question. “Why had you claimed Eugene was dead zat day back at ze woods? 

Oof! _Pourquoi ferais tu cela_??” Antoine complained to Bunnie when she poked him in the ribs with her elbow. Bunnie gave him a look that spoke volumes. Sonic was starting to think this was gonna be her new form of communication. _At least it hadn't been with her metal arm,_ He thought painfully of his still bruised side.

“It's okay Bunnie, I don't mind.” Amy leaned back in her chair as she thought back to _that_  day.

“Well, several months after Snottingham had been taken over by Eggman, Cousin...Sonic quite laughing!” Amy shot a glare his way as the blue hedgehog tried to contain his laughter.

“I'm sorry, it's that name! Snottingham, I mean seriously! Go on I'm still listening.” Sonic waved his friend on with his hand to resume.

“As I was saying, Cousin Rob decided it wasn't safe for me to stay anymore. He had found a house here in Knotthole where I could stay, out of danger. Frier Buck was to escort me, and Eugene insisted on accompanying us, as my ‘bodyguard’.”

"How come you went with them Eugene?" Bunnie pipped in with a question. 

“I refused to leave for home until I was sure Amy had made it to her new one safely.” Eugene told her. He would have gone mad just waiting around, hoping to hear word if his best friend had arrived at Knotthole Village unharmed.  _"_ And its a good thing i did, turns out. _"_  

“Anyways...” Amy continued, “We must have been half way here when Eggman's Bots found us. Eugene fought them off to buy Frier Buck and I time to escape, but...well...” Amy closed her eyes, she remembered like it was yesterday, the memory forever seared in her mind. She had never felt so helpless as she watched Eugene fight several Badniks off at once, the last sight of her best friend as he went down hard while she and the Frier fled into the woods....

“Hey, that's all in the past. I'm here  _now_. And I don't plan on leaving you again.” Eugene gently placed his hand on top of Amy's and squeezed , giving her that one sided smile of his. Amy felt her heart lifted a little as returned the smile. 

Sonic noted the familiar gester between the two, his nose wrinkling at the sight while his stomach got that same funky feeling like before.

  _I must be getting hungry again._ He waved both thought and feeling away, and started up a new set of cords on his instrument to occupy his mind. Tails watched the entire thing unfold with an amused smile. Sonic was basically his big brother and he admired him in every way, but when it came to matters of the heart, Sonic was as slow to catching on as he was fast.    

“Now with some help, plus a whole lot of luck, I know we can find a way to dest--” Eugene stopped midsentence as Amy threw him a warning glance. His eyes widened in realization; they didn't know. _How could they not know??_  It was one thing that she never told them about him, but _this_....this was a whole nother ball game. 

The two began sending looks back and forth, heads shaking slightly every now and then as they communicated without a word. They must have been arguing because not long after Eugene's shoulders slumped in defeat. Sonic stared at the two of them, completely baffled. 

“Did you...did they just have an entire conversation without saying a word??” 

Amy and Eugene both chuckled nervously, glancing at each other. “We used to talk like that a lot when we didn't want our parents knowing what we were up to. It's nothing though, really.” Amy assured them, although she looked a bit uncertain herself.

Sonic was about to press further when Nicole's voice echoed into the room. 

“I don't wish to alarm you all, but a group of shady individuals are making their way to the outskirts of Knotthole as we speak.” 

“Of course, why would we possibly be alarmed by zat?” Antoine replied uneasily as he strapped on his sword. Eugene too tightened his belt that held his cut glass at his side as they headed for the door. After a few sparring exercises with Antoine, Eugene had proved he could still hold his own in combat, despite the several year rest. 

 

         

* * *

 

 

The Freedom Fighters and friend approached the small group in the clearing. Amy noted they were all wearing in matching robes of dark purple, hoods drawn over their faces as they stood waiting, for what she wasn't sure.   

“So, what brings you guys here to our fair Knotthole? Any chance it's for the sight seeing?” Sonic greeted them. 

A gray wolf in a deep red cloak stepped forward, obviously their leader. Instead of speaking his gaze passed over the team, cold and calculating as he studied each one of them. He glanced over Amy, and then did a double take. His lips curled back in an unpleasent snarl towards her, bearing his long white fangs, a low growl emanating from his throat. Amy gripped her hammer tightly, she had a feeling this might get ugly real fast. Finally, after several tense heartbeats, the gray wolf spoke. 

 _“Pensiez-vous que nous ne serions pas vous finalement trouver? Vous ne pourriez pas le cacher éternellement.”_ He spoke in French, but even in another language anyone could pick out the obvious disdain that filled his voice.

“Uh 'Twan, mind translating that for us?” Sonic asked his friend, whos native tongue just happened to be the same. 

“Ah, yes of course! Unquoted, he said something about us thinking they would not find it. And how we could not hide it forever.”

 “Criptic. Can you ask them what it is they think we have?” shaking his head, Sonic wondered why some people couldn't just start with a simple straight comment instead of insisting on sounding all mysterious. That stuff was seriously getting old, especially with Eggman. As if they didn't know by now he had a diabolical plan up his sleeve every single time. Sonic refocused his attention back on Antoine and _mon capitaine_.

 _“Bonjour, mais nous ne vous connaissons pas. Exactement qui vous êtes et ce ce que vous voulez?”_ Antoine gave a slight bow as he talked, civil as ever, inquiring to who they were and what it is they wanted. Surprisingly the leader wolf complied. 

 _“Nous sommes appelés le cercle de flammes. Nous sommes venus pour enfin libérer notre maître.”_  

Antoine translated once again for the group, "They say their called the Circle of Flames, and the time has come to free their master.”

“Oooookay, well we've never heard of you so I really don't think we have the guy your looking for.” Sonic said, glad that for once things wouldn't end in a brawl. Not that he didn't love a good one, but he really just wanted a weekend or two of downtime. 

 Antoine opened his mouth to speak again when Amy of all people stepped forward.  

  _“Vous n'êtes pas le bienvenu ici. Votre maître est parti et ne jamais revenir. Laisser maintenant et aucun mal ne viendra à vous tous.”_ She spoke to the leader in flawless French. The cloaked wolf bared his teeth again at her as the two started a heated conversation, with Antoine trying to translate and keep up with what they were saying at the same time.

“He says he is called Dalon Kyros and that he can tell when his master has awoken and is calling out to them, that he can feel how close he is zis very moment.

Amy says they've spent too much time underground and that they... _mon dieu_  Amy zat is rude!”

Sonic snickered, he could easily guess what Amy would have told them. She had a hot temper and he pitted anyone who was on the other side of it. 

“Dalon says he gives us our only warning; tell him where "he" is and our death will be short and painless. They have no need to fight _yet_ , but they will find the prison sooner or later and free their Master. And he shall watch with great satisfaction as we are all crushed by his mighty power.”

With a wave of his cloak Dalon Kyros and the Circle of Flames stalked into the forest as silently as they had emerged. 

Bunnie turned to Amy. 

“Amy, since when did you know how ta speak all fancy French?” 

Amy wouldn't quite meet any of their eyes as she spoke. “Ummm, forever I guess? We'd probably better head back to HQ. I'll explain there.” Eager to escape their questions for the time being, Amy quickly started towards the village, Eugene sending them an almost apologetic look before hurrying to catch up with her. 

Sonic didn't need to be a genius to figure out that something was definitely up with his friend. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Alright Ames, spill. What exactly just went down?”

Ten minutes of walking in silence and Amy hadn't said a single thing to any of her friends. Sonic was starting to worry. Amy for her part managed to look at least guilty before plopping herself onto the nearest couch, burying her head into a pillow. Eugene, who had also kept quiet through out the long walk, kneeled in front of where the pink hedgehog lay.

“Come on Flower, it's best you share it with them.” 

Silence greeted the room for several moments, followed by a muffled sigh. Amy pushed herself up with her elbows, swinging her legs over so she was in a sitting position. 

“I hate how right you can be sometimes.”

“It's just one of the many wonderful things about me.” Eugene gave her a playful wink.

“Well...?” Sonic and friends each took a seat as Amy tugged on her bangs, wondering where to begin. There was so much to tell.

“What did the guy, Dalon Kyros right? What did he mean about their "master"? And what was that whole conversation about?” 

Guess that was as good a place to start as any. 

“It might be easier to explain if I showed you first. Eugene do you mind...?” Amy laid back down as Eugene stood and bent over her. Eyes half closed, he began muttering softly while slowly waving his hand back and forth over her body.

The 5 friends remained absolutely silent as a warm light began to glow in the room, emanating from Amy. With a final word Eugene bald his hand into a fist and brought it straight up, Amy's chest followed as if pulled by an invisible string. A dazzling light washed over them all. When he could properly see again, Sonic saw what appeared to be a 3D picture of something, or maybe some _one,_ floating directly above the couch.

The creature looked like it gave off a light of its own, it's figure frozen in a menacing stance, hand curled as it held a fire ball in its grasp, the rest of its body alite as well. After a few seconds of needle-dropping silence, Eugene gave a snap of his fingers and pointed back at Amy's still form. Another bright flash of light and it was gone. Amy's body suddenly jerked and she flung herself upright, gasping for breath. 

“What...in all ze Earth was zat?” Antoine spoke the question on everyones mind. Sliding her legs over so she was once again sitting upright, Amy rested her elbows on her knees, back hunched over as she continued to breath heavily. Worried for his friend, Eugene came to sit beside Amy, placing an arm around her shoulder while she tried to steady her breathing.  

“That is someone known as Solaris.” Nicole stepped in to explain, reading out loud what her data banks were telling her on the subject. “He is a powerful being known to manipulate fire as well as the very fabric of time itself. Long ago his form had been merely a small flame, vulnerable and weak, he could only do so much. But when scientists from the kingdom Soleanna tried to harness his power of controlling time for their own gain, they instead caused him to become dangerously unstable.

"Having foreseen a disaster if Solaris was released, the Duke of Soleanna created a powerful default within the cage Solaris was confined to. If he was ever freed Solaris would take on certain weaknesses; he could be locked inside a human vessel as long as the person lived, where as he would die within the person as well.

Before Solaris had reach the full extent of power an ancient race, known as the Chán Thó clan, fashioned a powerful magic prison in a last desperate act to contain him until someone would come and snuff out Solaris' light for good. The last recorded mention of him was nearly 50 years ago. Some speculate there is a secret group who serve Solaris and seek a way to free him from his prison.” 

Stunned silence filled the room for a second time when Nicole finished. 

“So then Amy, how come you...is that guy really locked _inside_  you?” Though Tails had whispered the question his words rang loud to their ears, the silence unbearably quiet. 

“Yeah...” Amy responded softly, not meeting anyone's eye.

No one said anything for a moment, too shocked for words. 

Finally Sonic spoke up. “How does that work exactly? How do you lock something inside you?”

It was a good distraction from her thoughts at the moment, so Amy took it.

“Ya know the saying when someone starts crying,  _‘and the floodgates opened’_? Solaris is, in a manner of speaking, locked behind my floodgates. And the key to that gate is one of my emotions; despair. 

I'd have to cry with complete despair in order for him to be released.”

"Well, guess that explains why you're such an optimist." Sonic playfully told Amy, trying to lighten the mood. Amy attempted a smile but it felt too forced, so she just fiddled with the charm on her necklace. 

Bunnie turned to Eugene, understanding dawning in her eyes. “Is that why ya said ‘No tears’ to Amy when she started getting misty-eyed after seeing you?”

 Eugene looked surprised but nodded his head. “I knew it was because she was happy an all, but tears are often the trigger of Despair, so she has me as her reminder to not cry whenever she starts to get overwhelmed. I'm impressed you remembered that.”    

Amy nodded her head as well, noticing the sun had disappeared outside and darkness settled in. The sounds of thunder could be heard rumbling in the distance. It looked like they were in for a storm. 

 _When had night fallen so quickly?_ Amy wondered to herself, suddenly very tired. All the previous events of the day had began to catch up with her. At that moment all she wanted was to curl up in bed and sleep away all her troubles. 

Both Sonic and Eugene caught on to her growing weariness. Sonic had taken only a few steps in her direction when Eugene rose from the couch and held out a hand to Amy, which she gladly took as he helped her stand, in case she was still feeling weak. Sonic pulled a Shadow and gave a small  _humph_ in Eugene's direction. He had wanted to talk to Amy in private for a moment, just to make sure she was really ok, but now that didn't seem likely with Prince Charming being all protective.  

“Maybe we should continue the rest of this tomorrow? Today was pretty rough on all of us. Give you some time to think everything over too.”  Though it was true they all had plenty of questions swirling around in their heads, everyone agreed. Sleep sounded wonderful. 

Antoine gave a large yawn as he and his wife said their goodnights and headed off to their room on the far side of the hall. No one would be going home tonight, unless they wanted to chance getting soaked by the time they reached there. The sounds of rain could be heard tapping softly on the roof as Eugene walked with Amy to her own room. They stopped just outside her door.

“Amy, I didn't want to say anything in front of the others but...is every okay? You'd never reacted like that when we would do it before.” Eugene stared at her worriedly, concern showing on his face. 

“Oh. Yeah, It's probably just cause I'm really tired.” 

Eugene looked not even sort of convinced, but he didn't press it further. Still, Amy didn't want him to feel anxious about her all night.

“It's alright Gege, I'll be fine." She reassured him. "Now go, get some sleep.” Amy commanded, giving a playful shove on his arm.

One side of Eugene's mouth quirked up at her nickname for him. She refused to give him a different one, no matter how much he told her it sounded like a child pronouncing the beginning of "Jewel".   

“Fine, if your sure. I'll be on the couch if you need me. See you in the morning Flower.” Eugene gave her arm a final squeeze before heading back the same way they'd come.

Amy watched as he walked away, almost calling him back but biting her lip at the last second. It was probably nothing anyway. Just her feeling paranoid. Amy slipped into her room and gently shut the door. Kicking off her shoes she didn't even bother to undress and instead headed straight for the comfort of her soft bed. Falling face first into the pillow, Amy pulled her legs under the sheets and closed her eyes. She'd figure out the rest she was gonna tell her friends tomorrow. Right now she was gonna sleep and hope that pleasant dreams would soon follow. 

Unfortunately, sweet dreams were the last thing she was gonna have.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! So much Sonic research went into this part. I had bits and pieces of what i remembered of Solaris from the game, but i needed a lot more. It has my own personal twist to it, and i hope it still makes sense to you all. 
> 
> One of the things i noticed about Amy in the comics is that her background isn't really talked about. You know her cousin Rob sent her to Knotthole for protection, but other then that it never really talks about her parents, how she felt growing up without them, and i think only mentioned once what exactly happened that lead to Rob sending her away. I wanted to at least address those in this part, and will continue to here and there later on. 
> 
> Oh and in case anyone is wondering, Amy's nickname for Eugene is pronounced exactly how it looks. Ge-ge, with long E's for both.


End file.
